1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to robots and manufacturing systems and more particularly relates to a modular geometric end effector system for use with a robot.
2. Description of the Related Art
End effectors for use in assembly systems have been known in the prior art for many years. Generally, in many automated assembly systems, devices are used for holding and placing components and parts in a specified place so that a manufacturing, finishing or other intermediate step can be performed on the product being assembled or worked upon. These automated assembly systems generally employ many robots that minimize or eliminate the need for manual intervention, thus reducing the cost to the manufacturer of the labor and parts involved. The components used and made in such automated systems are typically made or moved by a robot via an arm or wrist all of which are well known methods in the prior art. Some of these methods may include having an end effector attached to the end of a robot arm and acquires a particular part. The end effector then either releases the part during the work or holds the part steady in a pre-specified position during the actual operation on the part. Other methods include using the robot arm or wrist to hold a tool to actually perform work on a part that is being held by other robots or other components in predetermined positions.
Many of these prior art robotic systems employ robotic cells that have a plurality of components which enables work pieces or materials to be lifted, transferred, lowered, or positioned either at a specific work station or successively from work station to work station via robotic mechanisms and the like. In these prior art assemblies many of these components connected in one robotic cell have to be precisely aligned with respect to work pieces being moved and/or held in position for work thereon. This requires down time of the manufacturing line to ensure effective alignment of the robotic components being held by such robots. Furthermore, many of these prior art robotic cell systems having multiple components may be bumped, misaligned, or contaminated by environmental hazards in the manufacturing environment which requests that the line be shut down so that components could be completely removed and replaced or repaired such that the robotic cell could begin work once again in the manufacturing environment. Therefore, the use of multi component robotic end effector assemblies in the prior art requires high maintenance and long down times to ensure exact positioning needed in the manufacturing environments found in many modern manufacturing settings. Furthermore, many of these prior art systems require multiple adjustments to parts holding the components such as clamps, pins or the like on the end of the end effectors to properly align them, thus increasing the down time of the manufacturing line and labor costs required to make such adjustments manually thereto.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved modular geometric end effector system that would propose a cost effective method of replacing and repairing each component connected to a robotic cell on the end effector of a robotic arm, wrist or the like. There is also a need in the art for a geometric end effector system that will reduce production down time of the manufacturing line. There also is a need in the art for an improved geometric end effector system that will eliminate the need for the use of a second end effector, thus reducing manufacturing costs by reducing the number of robots necessary to operate a manufacturing line in an efficient and precise manner. There also is a need in the art for an improved end effector system that docks with a weld station or docking fixture to align and hold parts in a proper position during operation thereon and with respect to a predetermined point in the manufacturing plant.